Size, Grit, North American?

I was looking at the playoff teams and all of these teams have similar characteristics. It seems that the better teams have less European core players and these NA players are more physical. I think the last 4 teams, except for Philly, have all NA dmen (maybe 1 EURO dman) and only a handful of euro forwards.

And of course they need good goaltending... which I'm sure Giggy can bounce back.

Does this mean the Ducks need to rebuild their defensive lineup and trade some of their Euros away?

I was looking at the playoff teams and all of these teams have similar characteristics. It seems that the better teams have less European core players and these NA players are more physical. I think the last 4 teams, except for Philly, have all NA dmen (maybe 1 EURO dman) and only a handful of euro forwards.

And of course they need good goaltending... which I'm sure Giggy can bounce back.

Does this mean the Ducks need to rebuild their defensive lineup and trade some of their Euros away?
Is that you Don Cherry?

No it doesn't mean that at all. I haven't looked at the percentage of Europeans on the 4 remaining teams, but it's silly to say having a higher percentage of Europeans means losing early in the playoffs. I like how you just throw in the "except for Philly" part, without mentioning that their ENTIRE defense corp is European.

Tampa Bay:
G: Khabibulin, USSR
D: 6 Canada, 1 Czech Republic

Calgary:
G: Kiprusoff, Finland
D: 6 Canada, 1 United States, 1 Finland

Philadephia:
G: Esche, United States
D: 3 Sweden, 2 USSR, 2 Finland, 1 Germany

San Jose:
G: Nabokov, USSR
D: All 8 from Canada

The 3 teams with a North American blue line have a Euro goalie backing them and the team with the Euro blue line has the American goalie...go figure.

There is no link between North American blue liners and playoff success other than the fact that there are more North American blue liners.

Well, maybe it would just seem that way to me since the ducks have only one top 6 dman as a North American and with teams like NJ with relatively no Euro Dman Starter, and teams like Detriot with only one (Lidstrom with is an exception).

But I think there is definitely a difference is toughness, Euros obviously focus alot on skill and skating... and NA usually has an overall edge on simplicity and physicallity.

Oh well, no matter, I'm just goin to wait on the draft and the offseason.... I wish the NHL draft was as hyped and televised as the NFL draft...

Well, maybe it would just seem that way to me since the ducks have only one top 6 dman as a North American and with teams like NJ with relatively no Euro Dman Starter, and teams like Detriot with only one (Lidstrom with is an exception).


Back when Detroit was winning cups they had guys like Konstantinov, Fetisov, Olausson, and Fischer putting in major blue-line minutes. If you look at teams who have won the cup (outside of the four contending this year), there is usually a mix of players. I think it boils down to having talent in general, not just talent from a certain region.

Colorado has Sakic, but Forsberg and Hedjuk as well. Detroit had Yzerman when they won but also Fedorov and Lidstrom (both of which played well in the playoffs). Jersey usually has a pretty good mix (Sykora for a while, Elias is Czech I think, along with Stevens).

Tampa Bay:
G: Khabibulin, USSR
D: 6 Canada, 1 Czech Republic

Calgary:
G: Kiprusoff, Finland
D: 6 Canada, 1 United States, 1 Finland

Philadephia:
G: Esche, United States
D: 3 Sweden, 2 USSR, 2 Finland, 1 Germany

San Jose:
G: Nabokov, USSR
D: All 8 from Canada

The 3 teams with a North American blue line have a Euro goalie backing them and the team with the Euro blue line has the American goalie...go figure.

There is no link between North American blue liners and playoff success other than the fact that there are more North American blue liners.

I was sure Preissing was german. I think Fahey's American, too.

I was sure Preissing was german. I think Fahey's American, too.

Preissing and Fahey are both American.

...and Jordan Leopold (http://www.nhl.com/lineups/player/8467917.html) who represented Team USA at the 2002 World Championships.

...and Jordan Leopold (http://www.nhl.com/lineups/player/8467917.html) who represented Team USA at the 2002 World Championships.
is listed as the player from the States on th Flames blueline? :dunno:

is listed as the player from the States on th Flames blueline? :dunno:
Funny enough the swedish TV-channel that shows the NHL-games lists Leopold as canadian!? Dual citizenship perhaps?

He was born in Golden Valley, Minnesota.